1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to protective coverings for open watercraft. More particularly, the present invention relates to sprayskirts and coverings employed in open vessels like kayaks and canoes for preventing the entry of water and other contaminants into the cockpit or interior of the vessels. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a sprayskirt for the cockpit opening of a kayak or canoe which is easily convertible to a cockpit cover, and vice versa.
2. Background Information
Typically, kayaks and other small open watercraft have cockpit openings to accommodate the seating or kneeling of a person therein. The cockpit is the interior portion of the vessel defined by the lower hull and the upper deck thereof. In a conventional kayak, the cockpit opening is centrally formed in the upper deck of the vessel, and is sized for ingress and egress of the operator. The size and shape of the cockpit opening, however, depends largely on the type and make of the kayak. Other small watercraft, e.g., conventional canoes, do not have cockpit openings formed in the upper deck of the vessel, but instead, have the entire upper portion of the canoe open. The open interior of a conventional canoe is defined by its gunwale or rim.
Largely for competitive and recreational purposes, kayaks and other small watercraft are often employed in turbulent conditions, i.e., white-water conditions. Under such turbulent and rapid conditions, water often splashes over and onto the upper deck of the vessel, often times coming into contact with the operator. Furthermore, white-water conditions often force the vessel on its side, and at times, to flip completely upside down. In order to prevent the entry of water through the cockpit opening of the vessel and into the cockpit during operation, sprayskirts are typically employed. A longstanding quality manufacturer of such sprayskirts is JAG Manufacturing, Inc., located in 203 Jansen Avenue, Johnstown, N.Y. 12095.
During the operation of a kayak, one end of a sprayskirt usually fits snugly around the torso or waist of the operator while the opposing end is elastically or otherwise secured to the rim of the cockpit opening. Because the sprayskirt spans the entire open area of the cockpit opening, water is deflected and prevented from entering through the cockpit opening and into the cockpit.
Furthermore, during the storage and transport of such watercraft, it is often necessary to cover the cockpit opening for reasons other than to prevent the entry of water therein. For instance, while storing a watercraft for any period of time, certain undesirable external elements, such as dirt, insects, and animals may enter into the cockpit of the kayak if left uncovered. Therefore, it is often desirable to employ a cockpit cover during storage. Also, during kayak transport, i.e., on the roof of a car or on a trailer, wind resistance or drag is substantially increased when the cockpit opening is left uncovered. In order to reduce and keep the wind resistance to a minimum, a cockpit cover is typically utilized. Furthermore, when the kayak or other small watercraft is not in use, the cockpit or interior of the vessel may be exposed to the sun, which may cause or hasten deterioration of the interior of the kayak. Accordingly, cockpit covers often are employed to reduce the amount of sun exposure to the interior of the vessel.
As detailed above, in order to prevent the entry of water into the cockpit or interior of a kayak or other small watercraft during operation of the vessel, sprayskirts are usually employed. In addition, separate cockpit covers are often employed when covering the cockpit opening of the vessel during non-operation. Because of the separate and distinct, albeit related, functions performed by a sprayskirt and a cockpit cover, it is commonplace for a boat owner to have a separate sprayskirt and a separate cockpit cover for performing their functions. While there are devices in existence which perform the dual functions stated above, they are cumbersome and costly. Up until now, there has been no known device which simply and easily combines the functions of both a sprayskirt and a cockpit cover and permits easy conversion therebetween.
Thus, a need exists for a combination sprayskirt and cockpit cover which is easily convertible between one and the other. The structure of the present invention contains a solution to the aforementioned problems.